In Part 2 of my coverage on the McStay Family Murders, I cover the trial of Chase Merritt, the man arrested for the murders of Summer and Joseph McStay, and their two little boys, Gianni and Joey Jr. The case against Chase Merritt was built entirely on circumstantial evidence, and three years after my original coverage, I'm still not entirely sure police got the right guy.  From the discourse between the prosecution and defense, cell phone and computer records suggesting Chase Merritt's movements were not as straightforward as the police would have you believe, and PayPal records suggesting another suspect stood to gain from Joseph McStay's death, I went over it all, putting together a picture that suggests that someone, somewhere, may have gotten things wrong.  Connect with us on Social Media! You can find us at: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bookofthedeadpod/ X: https://twitter.com/Bkofthedeadpod Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61550490186243 TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@thebookofthedeadpod Or visit our website at http://botdpod.com/ Featuring a promo for Ghost Bites: Ghost Bites is a weekly podcast from Mike and J.T. of Brew Crime, for quick, 5–10 minute dives into the haunted, spooky, and paranormal. Get your weekly dose of all things creepy, served with a side of laughs. It’s the perfect podcast for anyone looking for a fun and frightening experience that won’t take up their whole day. Listenhttps://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/ghost-bites/id1840273537 Aradillas, E. (2014, November 9). Patrick McStay has a theory about why his family was murdered. People.com. https://people.com/crime/mcstay-family-murders-patrick-mcstays-theory-about-why-they-were-killed/Dziemianowicz, J. (2023, December 30). ‘Monster’ slaughters entire family — mom, dad, 2 young sons — and buries them in the desert. Oxygen. https://www.oxygen.com/killer-motive/crime-news/mcstay-family-murders-who-killed-themFalcon, G. (2013, January 26). Three years later, no sign of missing family. CNN. https://www.cnn.com/2013/01/26/justice/mcstay-family-disappearance/index.htmlFigueroa, T. (2013, November 15). How the McStay case unfolded. U-T San Diego. https://web.archive.org/web/20131203005025/http://www.utsandiego.com/news/2013/Nov/15/timeline-mcstay-disappearance-case/Flynn, S. (2022, May 21). McStay murders: A man is on death row for the brutal killings of a young family found in shallow graves in the desert – but did he really do it? The Independent. https://www.the-independent.com/news/world/americas/crime/mcstay-murder-california-documentary-chase-merritt-b2084210.htmlFraga, K. (2025, July 10). The McStay family murders and the “Monster” behind them. All That’s Interesting. https://allthatsinteresting.com/mcstay-family-murdersGarske, M. (2020, January 17). Charles Merritt’s DNA found in McStay family car: search warrants. NBC 7 San Diego. https://www.nbcsandiego.com/news/local/charles-merritt-mcstay-family-murders-search-warrants-unsealed/52907/Gotfredson, D. (2025, July 12). New book details evidence that led to conviction in McStay family murders. cbs8.com. https://www.cbs8.com/article/news/crime/true-crime/new-book-evidence-conviction-mcstay-family-murders/509-8001a9cb-cfeb-42da-b257-c6993f1aa668Gutglueck, M. (2019, April 19). Kavanaugh hacked into McStay’s PayPal account a week after the murders. SBC Sentinel. https://sbcsentinel.com/2019/04/kavanaugh-hacked-mcstay-paypalaccount/Kaye, R. (2015, June 16). Desert Deaths Mystery: Five questions about the McStay case. CNN. https://www.cnn.com/2014/07/01/justice/mcstay-case-five-questionsProsecutors begin presenting evidence against Charles “Chase” Merritt in McStay murder case. (2015, June 15). CBS News. https://www.cbsnews.com/news/prosecutors-begin-presenting-evidence-in-mcstay-murder-case/Richard K. De Atley The Press-Enterprise. (2019, January 25). Jurors in Merritt murder trial hear crucial recording. Victorville Daily Press. https://www.vvdailypress.com/story/news/courts/2019/01/25/jurors-in-merritt-murder-trial/6204138007/Slifer, S. (2013, November 15). McStay Family Update: Joseph McStay’s father calls probe of Calif. family’s 2010 disappearance “botched, inept.” CBS News. https://www.cbsnews.com/news/mcstay-family-update-joseph-mcstays-father-calls-probe-of-calif-familys-2010-disappearance-botched-inept/Slifer, S. (2015, January 24). Search warrants unsealed in McStay family murder case in California. CBS News. https://www.cbsnews.com/news/search-warrants-unsealed-in-mcstay-murder-case/VVNG - Victor Valley News. (2015, June 11). New Evidence Suggest a Sledge Hammer was Used in Murdering McStay Family. Victor Valley News. https://www.vvng.com/new-evidence-suggest-a-sledge-hammer-was-used-in-murdering-mcstay-family/

Fremont, CA Man Kills Registered Sex Offender In Planned Vigilante Attack.

Chaos erupted at the City Center Bishop Ranch on Monday afternoon as a massive group of nearly 25 masked robbers stormed Heller Jewelers, walking away with around $1 million in jewelry. The brazen daytime attack has left shoppers shocked and authorities scrambling to track down the culprits. This is not just any robbery — it’s a repeat nightmare for the high-end store.

A true crime update arrived about the case of missing California infant, Emmanuel Haro. Emmanuel’s parents, Rebecca and Jake Haro, appeared in court where they face charges of murder. But now, prosecutors and defense attorneys reportedly consider a plea agreement. Read on to find out more. Legal Expert Weighs In On Thursday, an anchor from […] The post True Crime: A Plea Deal For Answers In Haro Baby Case? appeared first on Soap Opera Spy.

Valentino Luchin, ex-Rose Pistola chef, was arrested in San Francisco for three bank robberies in one day. Learn about his fall from chef to crime.

Enter the secretive realm of La Eme, the most powerful prison gang that transformed into a ruthless criminal empire. From its birth in California's prison system to controlling streets across America, discover how the Mexican Mafia built a criminal organization that terrifies both law enforcement and rival gangs. Through exclusive interviews with former members, federal investigators, and gang experts, we expose how this organization expanded from behind bars to become one of organized crime's most feared forces. Experience the strategic brilliance behind their rise to power, their intricate communication systems, and how they maintain iron-fisted control over vast criminal territories while their leadership remains imprisoned.

🚨 BREAKING: New forensic evidence connects the Zodiac's personal writings to multiple murders! 💀 EXCLUSIVE: Cryptographers reveal never-before-seen decryptions of his coded messages ⚡ WARNING: Contains disturbing excerpts from the killer's own journal 🔍 Cold case detectives explain how modern technology may finally solve this 50-year mystery ✉️ Hear the actual taunting letters he sent to police and newspapers 🕵️ True Crime Alert: The brilliant psychopath who turned murder into a game - and never got caught

🚨 REVEALED: The untold connections between Manson and Hollywood's elite! 🎭 EXCLUSIVE: Never-discussed evidence about the dark side of 1960s music scene. ⚡ Former insiders finally break their silence about Cielo Drive's hidden history. 🔥 WARNING: Contains disturbing new details about how Manson infiltrated celebrity circles. 🎬 Hear how a failed musician turned Hollywood dreams into nightmares. 🎯 True Crime Alert: Beyond the murders - the twisted web of fame, music, and madness. The shocking truth about Hollywood's deadliest summer finally exposed. 

🚨 BOMBSHELL: Hidden evidence reveals the real reason behind Hollywood's darkest night. 🎬 EXCLUSIVE: Sharon's closest friends expose the chilling warning signs everyone missed. ⚡ Never-heard witness accounts paint a disturbing picture of the events leading to August 9th. 🗝️ WARNING: Contains haunting new details from inside 10050 Cielo Drive. 🎭 Former investigators reveal the calculated plan behind the target selection. 💔 True Crime Alert: The untold story of betrayal, jealousy, and fatal obsession that led to one of history's most infamous crimes.

🚨 BOMBSHELL: Hidden evidence reveals the real reason behind Hollywood's darkest night. 🎬 EXCLUSIVE: Sharon's closest friends expose the chilling warning signs everyone missed. ⚡ Never-heard witness accounts paint a disturbing picture of the events leading to August 9th. 🗝️ WARNING: Contains haunting new details from inside 10050 Cielo Drive. 🎭 Former investigators reveal the calculated plan behind the target selection. 💔 True Crime Alert: The untold story of betrayal, jealousy, and fatal obsession that led to one of history's most infamous crimes.

🐺💀 WHEN A TEENAGE DRUG DEALER BECAME AMERICA'S MOST WANTED 💀🐺 At 20 years old, Jesse James Hollywood orchestrated one of the most shocking kidnapping-murders in California history. Then he vanished – living as a fugitive playboy while the FBI launched the largest manhunt of the decade. 🔥 EXCLUSIVE: Shocking details from Hollywood's bizarre life on the run – fake identities, luxury hideouts, and the twisted psychology of a killer who thought he was untouchable. ⚡ This episode reveals the explosive truth about: - The drug deal gone wrong that sparked a deadly revenge plot - 15-year-old Nicholas Markowitz's tragic final hours - Hollywood's five-year international escape using stolen identities - Living the high life while America's most wanted 🚨 WARNING: Contains disturbing details about the brutal murder that inspired the movie "Alpha Dog" and the real-life manhunt that captivated the nation. 💥 From Malibu drug parties to Brazilian beach resorts – discover how a spoiled rich kid became a cold-blooded killer, and why it took the FBI half a decade to bring him to justice. 🎧 This isn't just true crime – it's the story of privilege, violence, and the deadly consequences when teenagers play deadly games. Subscribe NOW for the most twisted fugitive story ever told! 🔥

🔥 THE WEST COAST'S MOST PROTECTED CRIME FAMILY FINALLY EXPOSED 🔥 While everyone focused on San Francisco and Los Angeles, the real power in Northern California was quietly building an empire of blood in the shadows of Vallejo's shipyards. In this explosive episode of Criminal Empire: Mafia Mysteries & Serial Killers, we shatter the silence around the Vallejo crime family that controlled everything from drug trafficking to political corruption while leaving a trail of bodies that authorities desperately tried to hide from the public. 💀 WHEN WATERFRONT UNIONS BECAME MURDER CORPORATIONS 💀 The Vallejo family didn't just run businesses, they owned the entire city through a network of terror that reached from the docks to city hall. We expose the brutal initiation murders that shocked even seasoned FBI agents, the systematic elimination of witnesses who threatened their empire, and the moment when federal investigators realized they were dealing with killers so sophisticated they made East Coast families look primitive. 🚨 WARNING: This episode contains graphic descriptions of waterfront violence and government corruption 🚨 Former dockworkers reveal the horror of working under mafia control, federal agents describe the intimidation tactics that silenced entire communities, and survivors break their decades-long silence about the reign of terror that gripped Vallejo. We investigate the ritualistic murders that sent messages to rivals, the political assassinations that protected their operations, and the shocking discovery that some victims were buried in concrete foundations throughout the city. ⚠️ THEY BUILT THEIR EMPIRE ON A FOUNDATION OF HUMAN BONES ⚠️ This documentary-style episode exposes how the Vallejo family used their control of the waterfront to smuggle everything from heroin to weapons while eliminating anyone who threatened their power. We reveal the sophisticated money laundering operations hidden behind legitimate businesses, the police corruption that protected their crimes, and the moment when their paranoid violence spiraled so far out of control that even other crime families feared them. 🎧 This is the first comprehensive investigation into California's most secretive crime family. Download now to discover the murders that built an empire and the secrets that nearly died with their victims. Enter the Criminal Empire where waterfront workers become casualties and city officials become accomplices.

FBI Arrests Man Tied to Deadly Bombing at California Fertility Clinic A dramatic turn in a disturbing case: the FBI

Southern California Man Convicted In $2.5M Doordash Fraud Case.

A 34-year-old California woman, Jacqueline Popaibarra, has been arrested and charged after allegedly setting a homeless woman on fire while she slept… The post This Is Cruel! Woman Sets Homeless Woman On Fire In Shocking Arson Attack Caught on Video appeared first on Shine My Crown.

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